DNA database: According to Gary Pugh, who is soon to be the chief spokesperson for the Association of Chief Police Officers’ (ACPO), England does not collect enough DNA samples from the “right people” and could benefit from targeting samples from younger people to prevent future crimes. As reported in this story from The Press Association, the ACPO says that the statement is entirely Pugh’s opinion and they do not support his position. The Liberal Democrats condemned this idea of adding unsuspected young people to a DNA database. Police in England and Wales can take DNA from anyone arrested on a suspicion of a crime and keep their DNA on file for life.

New crack cocaine guidelines have caused many inmates to file for shorter sentences. A story in the Houston Chronicle and AP, reports that this action follows the new guidelines adopted last December by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to reduce the disparity between sentences for possession of crack cocaine vs. powder cocaine. The Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tyler, Texas said 80 inmates have already been released. He expects another 80 to be released within the next two weeks. Around the country, approximately 800 inmates have been released from the 20,000 who are eligible for a sentence reduction under the new guidelines.

High School dropout wins his own murder case: Washington Post reporter Ruben Castaneda writes that defendant Harold Stewart has received a not guilty verdict on charges of first-degree and second-degree murder. Steward, a high school dropout represented himself during the three day trial. Circuit Court Judge Vincent Femia, a judge for Prince George County, said, “It would make you wonder about the quality of the case, if a guy who knew nothing about the law could kick your [expletive]."

Victims' fund assists felons reports Josh Mitchell in the Baltimore Sun. "Nearly $1.8 million from the [Maryland Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund] has been awarded to drug dealers, violent offenders and other criminals since 2003, according to a Sun analysis of thousands of records obtained through the Maryland Public Information Act."

Guatemala death penalty vetoed: "Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom on Friday vetoed a bill that would have reinstated capital punishment and given the president the power to commute death penalty sentences," reports Juan Carlos Llorca for AP. "If (the death penalty) were a disincentive, we would reinstate it," Colom said. "But we have studied cases in various states in the United States, and it doesn't dissuade" crime. Evidently the President is unaware that the heavy preponderance of recent studies in the United States conclude that the death penalty does deter murder when actually enforced. The reinstatement passed the Congress by a majority sufficient to override the veto, so this story may not be over.